Bangkok, February 14 Around 100 couples came together on Tuesday to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day with a symbolic wedding marathon between LGTBI people, in what is the first event of its kind in Thailand. , where proposals to legalize marriage and same-sex unions are underway.
Adorned with hearts and white, pink and red balloons, the terrace of the Prince Palace hotel in Bangkok was the setting for the couples to formalize, albeit symbolically, their bond and make their voices heard for the rights of the LGTBI collective, who still suffers from prejudices. newspapers from the Asian country, despite its worldwide fame as a “gay paradise”.
“We feel like we’ve come out of the closet, this nomination today means a lot for LGBT people to be more visible in society,” Meepooh Dew told EFE, while proudly displaying her “marriage certificate” along with her partner, a transgender girl. .
Meepooh explains that with his participation in the event, he seeks to “show that we only want to have the same rights as heterosexual couples”.
Throughout the day, dozens of couples will publicly express their commitment in individual ceremonies, in this massive tribute to love, which has the support of local authorities in Bangkok.
The event was attended by District Manager Pongjakarin Tavornpong, who imitated the role of officiating at weddings, albeit in a symbolic act.
The nomination is of particular significance because it receives public support from Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt – elected in May 2022 and known for his progressive beliefs – and because this is a key year for Thai politics, as the Asian nation will hold its general elections next May.
LGBTI LAW PROPOSAL
It also comes at a time when Parliament took an important step towards LGTBI rights, when it backed several proposals last June to allow same-sex marriages and unions, moves that are in the works. treatment after a decade for the first projects presented.
“The legalization of equal marriage is being discussed and I hope that in the not too distant future we can hold similar celebrations for many more LGTBI people. This is a big step forward,” the director said. from the district to EFE.
And it is that, more than praising love in its entirety, the staging of this massive marriage also aims to break taboos and alert society to the problems that affect the collective, whether for social reasons , family or professional.
“We got married to celebrate our love story, but I also wanted (the wedding) to have a social impact, to show the world that Thailand can really be a gay paradise”, he says, accompanied by his companion, Nonny Natthawirojn, who is also one of the organizers of Bangkok Pride Day.
For this reason, the leaders of this wedding marathon explain that they have chosen to make the event as diverse, intersectional and multicultural” as possible, with a plurality of gay, lesbian, transgender, queer and other gender couples.
For Nonny, “teaching that love, our love, is real” can “make a difference” in the lives of other LGTBI people and help reduce issues such as loneliness, depression and other illnesses.
“A lot of LGTBI people still commit suicide, for example, because they don’t feel that their love is real or that they are really loved and that’s a problem,” he nuances, referring to the rejection and the prejudices faced by the group.
Nayara Batschke